From the Annals of Engineering Feats –  In 1870, the Waco Suspension Bridge was first opened to traffic.  The bridge crosses the Brazos River in downtown Waco.  At 475 feet, it was one of the longest suspension bridges in the world when it opened. Before 1869, crossing the Brazos River was a difficult and frequently dangerous proposition.   The only river crossing was by ferry.  Due its location on the Chisholm Trail, Waco businessmen determined that a bridge was needed to secure the City’s continued prosperity.

Col. John T. Flint, an Austin lawyer and banker, who had moved to Waco after the war and established the firm of Flint & Chamberlain,  travelled to New York to handle the contract for building the bridge. Flint engaged Thomas Griffin who teamed with John A. Roebling and Son of New York (famed for building the Brooklyn Bridge) to construct the impressive bridge at a cost of approximately $140,000. The twin double-towers anchoring the span were considered to be an engineering marvel.  They contain nearly 3 million bricks, which were produced locally.  The bridge was initially operated as a toll bridge, but McClennan County purchased it in 1889 and sold it to Waco for $1. The bridge was closed to vehicle traffic in 1971, but remains a centerpiece of downtown Waco today.

Image from http://www.texansunited.com